"I really want to make sure I'm performing to the potential I know I can" - benjyfishy on standout performance against ULF Esports

Stepping into his third full year in VCT EMEA, Benjy "benjyfishy" David Fish is coming back onto the stage, ignited by a new fire. The Sentinel player for Team Heretics shrugged a mediocre week 1 performance against Natus Vincere and dropped multi-kill after multi-kill against ULF Esports, being the clear MVP of Heretics' inevitable victory.

After such a performance, benjy sat down with THESPIKE to discuss adjusting routines, inspiring confidence in Berkcan "ComeBack" Şentürk, and his reflections on the past season.

After the opening game I told myself I don't want this mid-performance again like how I believed I did for most of last year.

THESPIKE: This was a completely different benjyfishy from a week ago, especially on map one. What was in your breakfast today?

benjyfishy: Honestly, I changed my routine a bit because after the first game I told myself I don't want this mid-performance again like how I believed I did for like most of last year. I have a specific routine that I followed in 2025 which was similar to my one in 2024 which revolved around playing a lot of ranked, but after my first game, I really wanted to make sure I'm performing to the potential I know I can.

So I'm just trying something different where I'm playing a bit less ranked. I'm focusing on like other things: VOD reviewing, setups, and things that are more beneficial than just grinding ranked. I'm just giving it a go and obviously it worked this week — in fact, I could feel that I was going to play good this week.

THESPIKE: You mentioned learning more setups just now, and I know in a previous interview you talked about how, despite the Cypher nerfs, he's still a very viable and strong agent. How have you adapted to the nerfs, especially on defense?

benjyfishy: With the old Cypher where the trips insta-revealed, you could play more for trip kills offsite. Now I think Cypher's strength is more playing with information trips, being able to get deep trips where they don't know it.

On defense still, kill trips are good. For example, having one on site with all the chaos of an execute, people can still get revealed, but it is a lot less likely now. Now I think playing Cypher just more as an info agent is the best way to go and that's what I made sure that I was doing today.

THESPIKE: Would you say that he's still your favorite agent then?

benjyfishy: It's hard between Cypher and Viper I think- it depends on the map. For example, on Bind I love Viper, but on other maps I love Cypher. But for me I love how with Cypher you can be so creative. I think with Viper there's less of that, so if I had to pick one, I'd probably pick Cypher.

My strength is giving energy to my teammates.

THESPIKE: You mentioned in a previous interview that once ComeBack gets his confidence he's going to be on fire, emboldened to take risks, and we saw glimmers of that on Bind today. What's your role and what's your team's role been in inspiring that confidence in ComeBack?

benjyfishy: I think the role is down to all of us. He looks up to us a lot, but when he first joined the team he was making a lot of mistakes. We realized that if you're harsh on someone who looks up to you, then they're going to take it badly. I think, especially for ComeBack, he is quite an emotional person: when he's feeling down, he's like pretty down, but when he's feeling good, he's really on top of things. He speaks way more when he's feeling it. He takes more fights when he's feeling it, and I think that's what you saw on Bind.

It's just that I think we've just got to try to get it a bit more consistent, but obviously this is always just going to take time, especially with a player like ComeBack. None of us are putting pressure on him. I remember after the first map where he didn't do so good, neilzinho said that he doesn't care how many kills he gets, because at the end of the day, he's got four other teammates that can win the game. He doesn't need to drop 30 every game to win. We always believe in playing as a team. And to be honest, he did his job — he went first, he dies sometimes, he kills sometimes, and that's all it is. Not putting too much pressure on him, I think, is the key.

THESPIKE: How ComeBack is an emotional player as well reminds me of how much more emotion you guys were showing on stage in 2024, especially all the trash talking you were doing. Now that you've toned it down a bit, how has that transition been from being the kid of the team, to becoming more of a leader figure for that new addition to the team?

benjyfishy: In 2024 I was very excited to play, travel, go to these international tournaments. I got humbled quite a few times and realized that my strength is giving energy to my teammates. Sometimes trash talking is still like pretty fun, and I still do it every now and then. I'm more trash talking to make my teammates laugh, just to bring up the mood. So if we need a bit of energy, then I'll do that. I kind of just make sure I give what I feel the team needs in the moment, because it changes quite a lot. Today I think sometimes we lacked a bit of energy but the rest of the time we were doing pretty good.

THESPIKE: After Sentinels were grouped at VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Valorant Champions, Mohamed Amine "Johnqt" Ouarid said that 2025 was the year that he learned the most despite losing the most, because failure leads to the most learning. Comparing your 2024 and 2025 seasons, does that statement ring true?

benjyfishy: Because we lost in five grand finals in 2024, I think it made me learn how to deal with really big losses. But because we were still doing really good — we were making these grand finals, we were going to every international — in 2024 I learned to control my emotions and handle massive amounts of pressure.

In 2025, we missed out on Bangkok. We got grouped in Toronto. Our Champs run was not the greatest. For me it was learning how to not give up, because it was a pretty long year, and if you're losing, it's pretty tough mentally. I learned how to keep pushing through, and I think having fun teammates around you is the most important thing for that. Both years were very different and I think I've matured a lot from it, becoming a better person and teammate.

THESPIKE: Looking more towards the future, you mentioned how you love traveling, so for the three internationals this year, each of them would be quite different. Santiago would be a new city to explore. London would be your first time in front of a home crowd, and Shanghai has themes of redemption from VCT 2024 - Masters Shanghai. Which event are you the most excited to participate in?

benjyfishy: Masters London for sure! My favorite experience is getting to bring my family and friends to events and when these events are super far away it's hard to bring a lot of people. My favorite thing is playing when I know that someone I care about is in the arena: I want to put on a show for them and make sure they have a good time.

Masters London is perfect because I can invite anyone I want. Any of my school friends, my family — they can come to any game they want. And for me, that's going to be the best part. Getting to play at the big arena there would be insane for me, especially since a lot of my school friends don't really understand how big these events can be. Getting to the top four arena at London would be the best experience for me.

THESPIKE: It'll probably be the Heretics boys' first time in London too, right? What's on the bucket list?

benjyfishy: We'll have to go to a pub, and maybe get them to try Nando's. I'll bring them to my favorite Korean barbecue place in London, Olle in Soho, and I'll get them all to try Greggs sausage roll as well.

THESPIKE: It's always a pleasure talking to you benjy! Thank you for the interview and best of luck in your next game.

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